Re: Pushups and hazing

Kim Moye wrote:

> items were hazing. The district exec explained that the standard "anything
> that is embarrasing or demeaning to the boy is hazing".

By this standard I'm hazing all the time. For instance I have just returned from
Northern Tier on a ten day canoe trip. Our Crew Chief (the youth leader on the
crew) is very shy and was obviously uncomfortable leading to the point other boys
were making comments like "Just make a decision, just do it." From my perspective
he has elected and accepted being crew chief, he had to do the job even if it was
embarrassing so I kept calling on him to lead us for ten days.

At the end of the trip I further hazed some of the boys in our crew by requiring
they do a skit of our trip as was requested by the camp. A couple boys clearly
feel shy and embarrassed about going up in front of a crowd, especially when they
didn't think we had television show quality material. I think they felt it was a
little demeaning not to do the best skit that's ever been done. Still I required
them to do it.

I further haze boys by embarrassing them when I ask they lead us in the Pledge of
Allegiance, giving talks for some merit badge requirements, doing a patrol yell
(this really is getting a bunch of them embarrassed), etc..

I take it I should stop all this sort of behavior on my part. I'm a hazer.

This somewhat amazes me in that the best things I've done in my life have pushed
the envelope into feeling uncomfortable, whether it is being cold and damp, not
eating for 84 hours (Outward Bound-Colorado), or getting up for the first time as
the new Cub master after having been in a Pack for only three months and not
really knowing much about what I was doing. I was thankful for these
opportunities. Now I learn that the Pack was hazing me because I felt embarrassed
when first appearing as their Cub master. Shame on them.

YiS, Bob Losee SM T25 Lincoln NE

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